Liz Warren | Storyteller

Storytelling is new and old for me. Until recently I had not
realized there was such a thing as a course in storytelling. What would that
look like? How can you teach storytelling? The same way you can teach fiction
writing and play acting. By providing a safe space for people to be creative,
the teacher opens the door to depths that many people don't even know they
possess.

I've told stories all my life – anecdotes of actual events and make-believe
stories to entertain siblings and parents while washing dishes, and while
sitting around a campfire in the bush. I've told stories to keep myself safe
and stories to puff myself up. I tell myself stories in my head that keep me
from realizing my true potential, and stories that help me break out of those
restrictions. But what is it about storytelling that deserves a capital S?

Storytelling is more than all the things I listed above. Storytelling
is a hobby or a profession, a teaching tool or a means of entertaining, or all
of these at once plus more. To me, Storytelling is like being an Author or an
Actor. It takes creativity, sure, but more than that it takes thought,
preparation, practice, and the willingness to fail in front of others until the
thought, preparation and practice finally click and the Story is a good one.
Storytelling is a way to become more enlightened about yourself – while at
the same time giving others a glimpse into themselves.

My time in Personal Storytelling has been eye-opening for me,
and a little scary, and a lot of fun. The stories told by classmates are
marvelous. Liz Warren is a perceptive, honest, humorous, and gentle teacher.
This has been an experience I'm glad I didn't miss.